NORFOLK, VA—ODU freshman Nick Walker, sophomore PJ Higgins and senior Josiah Burney each knocked in two runs and Monarch pitchers fanned 11 batters as ODU (32-21) defeated Long Island (24-24-1), 7-3 Friday night at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex in a non-conference series. Every Monarch who started had at least one hit on the night.
After LIU scored two unearned runs in the first, ODU added one in the bottom of the frame on a sacrifice fly RBI by P.J. Higgins with plated Nick Walker who reached on a walk and stole second and third.
In the Monarch third inning, Higgins singled in Tyler Urps, then with Higgins and Taylor Ostrich aboard Josiah Burney doubled to rightcenter to bring them home and give the Monarchs a 4-2 lead. Burney now has a team best 16 doubles thus far this season. Junior catcher Mike Perez doubled with one out and scored on Nick Walkers single to make it 5-2 after four innings. LIU cut it to 5-3 on an RBI double by Mark Hernandez in the sixth inning.
The Monarchs expanded the lead to 7-3 in the eighth when freshman pinchhitter Kurt Sinnen doubled home Josh Eldridge and Nick Walker singled home pinch runner Dylan Hill.
Senior lefthander Andy Roberts (5-3) picked up the win with Dean Ali, Conner Overton and Brad Gero
pitching three-plus shutout relief innings. The four hurlers combined for 11 strikeouts and only one walk.
ODU pounded out 12 hits as Walker and Perez had two hits each. Walker extended his hitting streak to 20 games, the longest on the team this season and Josh Eldridge extended his to 12 games.
ODU senior Josiah Burney was named recipient of the Chesapeake Athletic Club's Player of the Year award in a pre-game presentation.
The two teams will play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1:00. ODU will honor its 11 seniors in a pre-game ceremony.
LIU 200 001 000=3-6-2
ODU 103 100 02x=7-12-4
LIU-Needham, McCormick(4), Saffelle(8) and Preschel
ODU- Roberts, Ali(6), Overton,(7), Gero(9) and Higgins, Perez(9)
WP: Roberts (5-3) LP: Needham(5-3)